Dirty Laundry
by Xaphrin
Summary: Red X has a copycat thief stealing his thunder and tarnishing his image. A case of mistaken identity occurs when he's caught by the Titans for a heist he didn't commit, putting both him and Raven in a terrible position. Raven must come forward and admit the details of their relationship, and now Red X has to work with the Titans to restore his name. "SEVEN" sequel-ish.
1. Prologue

**Dirty Laundry  
**Prologue

)O(

I've got a bad boy and that's alright with me  
His dirty laundry is nothing that I can't keep clean  
And when he needs an alibi  
He can use me all night  
- _Dirty Laundry_, by Bitter:Sweet

)O(

Jason felt like his body was filled with lead and his legs were going to give out on him any second as he trudged down the hall. Behind the closed doors, he heard echoes of television programs and joyful conversations from couples or families. What he wouldn't have given to have been with his own girlfriend tonight, watching the same bad TV. Oh, that's right, she was in _fucking Dubai_. He bit back a curse and turned the corner of the hall. If he knew that dating a superhero was going to be (technically) a long-distance relationship, he would have walked away before his heart had the chance to love her.

But, it was too late for that now.

He rolled his shoulder to try and get any kinks out of his muscles, and pulled out his cell phone, reading through his emails for any leads, but nothing yet. Three meetings today, and not one of them had given him a definitive answer on whether or not they would hire his services. There had been a lot of "we'll think about it, but you're very expensive". Of course he was expensive! He was fucking Red X. He was the best. If you wanted a job done right, on time, and professionally, you called him. That was common sense. You don't buy a Ford and expect a Ferrari, you just buy the damn Ferrari and are happy in the first place.

Biting back another curse, he glared at the empty space in front of him, feeling like his hallway was never ending. At the end of the day, he knew his patience was wearing thin. He had grown tired of being suave and charming and business-like, and he knew he'd flubbed a few of his normally well-received lines in this last meeting. It was his own fault he hadn't given the full package during the meeting, and he was just going to accept that. Besides, it was just a dry spell of jobs, he'd get back up on his feet soon and the jobs would be flowing in.

At least he hoped.

He really needed to stop being so negative. Of course, it didn't help his whole outlook on life that he hadn't gotten laid in over a month either. His current sexual outlets were phone sex snuck in at odd times when no one from her team could hear her, and masturbation to Raven's nude picture she'd given him before she left (he really had no idea that she could look like a pin-up, but somehow she pulled it off like a pro). All that was fine and dandy, but at the end of the day it wasn't as fulfilling as fucking Raven senseless, and he went to bed staring at the empty pillow next to him like some kind of sad puppy waiting for his master to get home.

Jesus, he was pathetic.

He shoved his key in the lock and pushed open the door, dropping his jacket and keys onto the counter without any thought other than finding a beer and then finding his bed. If he had to stay up and ponder life for one more second, he might actually throw himself off his balcony. He opened the fridge and pulled out a beer, smelling the soft scent of late-August rain start to sweep in through the city and into his apartment. He loved that smell. It reminded him of the time she had snuck out of the tower and came into his apartment, begging for him to take her in every way possible. On the kitchen counter, on the floor, in his office…

Jason groaned and tilted his head back as if he was in agony. A whole fucking month. She'd been bouncing around the world for the whole month, trailing dregs of the Brotherhood of Evil from Russia to Paris to Beijing and then to Dubai. Whatever they had originally chased in Russia turned out to be a lot more than they anticipated, and as soon as Raven had returned home, she was sent out again just a few weeks later. She had been tasked with trying to hunt down whoever was starting this shit again, and Jason was tasked with trying to keep his libido under control while she flitted around the world like some kind of social butterfly.

Jason sighed and ran a hand through his hair, didn't the baddies know that they were _seriously_ impeding on his sex life? That should have been their top priority.

Rain poured down from the heavens, splattering on the cement of his balcony, and the sound echoed through his apartment like dull, tinkling chimes.

He stared at the balcony, his eyebrows knitting together. The door was open. He never left the door open.

Who could…

He set his beer down and moved toward the balcony door, his eyes trying to adjust to the inky darkness that filled the space outside his apartment. As he moved toward the open door, he caught the familiar shape of his girlfriend. He let his eyes fully adjust to the darkness before stepping closer to her. She stood in the downpouring rain in nothing more than his white shirt, left open to display her body, and smiled that nonexistent "Raven Smile" at him, as if she was teasing him.

"I was wondering when you were going to notice the door was open. I've been watching you nurse that beer for the past ten minutes." She moved backwards slowly, leaning up against the cement railing of the balcony, and letting the wet shirt drape off her body _just so_. "I'm back."

Jason didn't have words. Even if he had them, he doubted he would have had the ability to speak them anyway. He instantly closed the space between him and Raven, ignoring the rain that soaked his new Armani suit, and ran his hands over the smooth planes of her skin, now slick with rain. He hadn't touched her body in thirty three days, six hours, and eleven minutes, and touching her now was like exploring her again for the first time. He heard that glorious hitch in her breath as his warm, dry skin touched hers, and his name fell from her lips with the same rhythm of the rain.

Her own hands itched to get his clothes off of him, pulling off his suit jacket and nearly ripping the buttons off of his shirt as her trembling fingers trailed down the seams. She pushed the shirt off his shoulders and mumbled words in languages he didn't understand before her lips met his in a fevered kiss.

Her kisses. _God_, he missed her kisses. It was like the warmth of tea and the bite of gin.

His lips slid down her neck, nipping and biting until he found her sweet spot behind her left ear and suckled on it. She gave a very uncharacteristic mew into his ear and rubbed her bare chest against his. Heaven. He could have stayed in this moment and been content the rest of his life. His fingers found her center and pushed deep, feeling her instant reaction and hearing her cries in his ear. Thunder rolled in and lightning pierced the sky with a light show that was only second to the one in his arms.

He picked her up and balanced her on the edge of the cement balcony railing, pushing her legs open for him. Raven reached out and released him from his own pants, obviously tired with their foreplay as much as he was. He entered her body without remorse, listening to the pained cry that fell from her lips. It had been so long, it was like he was entering her for the first time again.

He muttered an apology against her neck, trying to control his desires until she was ready, but he couldn't help himself. He moved inside her, filling her and claiming her until she teetered on the edge of the precipice, waiting to fall. Jason was only too glad to push her over. She cried out with the rolls of thunder that echoed around them, her hands raking over his shoulders as he relentlessly pleasured her. Rain continued to pour down on them, splashing between their bodies, slicking up their skin.

Raven tilted back against nothingness, using her powers to balance her body precariously on the edge of the balcony. Watching her move with the grace of a skilled dancer, and feeling that slight twinge of pleasure-pain from being around her powers, made Jason lose his well-placed control. He gripped her hips and pounded her body until his release came, and he sobbed her name against her throat. For the first time in thirty three days, six hours, and thirty one minutes he felt _whole_.

Raven gasped as he pulled her back onto solid ground, rolling her under him as the rain continued to beat down on their bodies, washing away their pain until nothing was left but the pure, unadulterated feelings they had for each other.

Jason nuzzled her neck, listening to her breath mingling with the thunder rolling around them. He smiled against her skin. "You're home."

"I know."

)O(

Across the city there was the wail of sirens and alarms as a display case was broken in the dead of night. Jewels were stolen from underneath the bright, beautiful lighting, plucked from the shards of glass like the last few daisies from a field. If a person was trained to look hard at a crime scene, they would see that it was messy and tactless, as if a juvenile was playing some kind of game no one else was aware of. His steps were noisy, his movements flailing and awkward, and his destruction of the case was completely unnecessary.

As the perpetrator made his way to the door, he turned and let himself be caught on film.

Smiling under the mask with the caricature of a skull on it, he saluted the camera before running off into the night, a bag of jewels tinkling musically at his side.

)O(

_So, I didn't really want to start this just yet, but I've been holding onto this song forever, waiting for the right idea to pop into my head. It did finally, and I had to get it down before I forgot. It won't be super long, but I hope you enjoy it._

_In the event you didn't catch onto it, this is kind of a sequel to _Seven_.  
Anyway, let me know what you think! _


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

)O(

Jason bolted awake at the smell of cooking in his kitchen. Jesus. She was cooking! If there was one thing he knew, it was that Raven had _zero _skills in the kitchen and could probably burn the city down if she stayed in front of the stove too long. He threw off the covers and stumbled through his room for a pair of sweatpants as he rushed into the kitchen, desperate to save the citizens of Jump before she burnt them all down with fiery bacon and eggs.

"Raven!"

Raven jerked in surprise and looked over her shoulder at him, eyes wide with shock as he raced into the kitchen. "What is it?"

"You're cooking!"

Her face fell and she turned back to the stove, moving the eggs around in the bottom of the pan. "I'm not a _terrible _cook, you know." Her eyes stared at him out of the corner of her eye and she sighed, lips pursing in a mixture of frustration and disappointment. "Besides, Beast Boy had to teach me how to cook while we were overseas. I had kitchen duty more than once… _unfortunately_."

He laughed and came up behind her, running his hands over her bare arms and kissing the top of her head. "Well, I appreciate the gesture, but I think I can take it from here."

Raven held fast to her position in front of the stove, her eyes sweeping up to meet his. He saw the staunch determination in her eyes and had to fight back a laugh. She was so caught up in proving that she wasn't completely useless in the kitchen that it was almost comical, and kind of adorable (although he would never say that outloud). In all the time that she had stayed over at his flat, she had only tried to cook once, and somehow managed to set off every smoke detector on his floor.

She poked a spoon into his bare chest. "I am going to cook you breakfast if it kills me."

He leaned back on his heels and raised a cynical eyebrow. "It _will_ kill you… and probably me too."

Raven rolled her eyes and took the eggs off the stove, plating them with buttered toast that was (surprisingly) not burned. "Look, I figured out how to cook about three things and this is one of them. Just trust me okay?"

He sighed and tried not to feel like he was signing his own death warrant: death by poison. "Okay. I'll try it, but I'm not making any promises, and if I die, it's your fault."

Raven rolled her eyes and handed him a plate, choosing not to comment on his jab. As he took the plate from her, they could hear her Titan communicator going off in the other room. Cursing under her breath, she went into the bedroom and answered it.

"Raven here."

"Raven, where are you?" Bird-Brain's voice was panicked and stressed, and if his whole life revolved around knowing the exact locations of each of his teammates were. "I've been looking all over the tower for you this morning, and your GPS isn't on."

"Oh. I must have turned if off by accident, you know I think this thing has entirely too many buttons." Her tone was flat and emotionless, and Jason could only tell she was lying by the almost imperceivable lilt at the end of her voice. "I'm at a friend's… I'm allowed to have friends outside the team, right?" Her voice turned tense, an indication that this was not the first time they had this conversation.

"Whatever." He could practically hear the eyeroll from her leader. "Just suit up. I need you to meet the rest of us at the coordinates I'm sending to your com. There was a heist last night."

"Who was it this time?" Her voice was bored. "Mumbo? Control Freak?"

"Red X."

There was a long pause and Jason dropped his fork as he stared at the back of his girlfriend's form, standing in his bedroom. The world seemed to stop turning underneath his feet. _Red X_? There was no way that he had pulled a heist last night. Hell, he hadn't even had a job in over two weeks. He was here all night, next to Raven. He hadn't stepped one toe out of his apartment unless you could count going onto the balcony.

Raven's voice didn't betray her surprise, but she was certainly critical of the facts. "Are you sure it was him? We haven't heard much about him in a few weeks."

"Security footage sent over showed him directing looking at the camera and _saluting_." Robin growled slightly. "If that doesn't prove it's him, then I don't know what will."

_Saluting? To a camera? As if. Give me some kind credit, Bird-Brain._ Jason glared at the back of his girlfriend's head. He might have jerked around the Titans every now and again, but he wouldn't show his face to a camera. Being indiscreet lost you contracts and cost you jobs. That was why he only teased the Titans was Robin was being a particular douche, or there were no cameras around. But some upstart asshat was going to fuck with his perfect reputation? _Hell. No._

"It's him, Raven, there's no doubt about it." There was a quick pause. "I'll send you what information I have so far, and just be at that address in thirty. Robin out."

"Understood. Raven out." She snapped her communicator closed and stood in the bedroom for a moment, obviously trying to process what Robin had just told her. She looked just as floored and shocked as Jason was, and had _no _idea where to start processing the entire situation. After a long moment, she walked back into the living room, her face pale.

"Did you…"

"Of _course_ not. I was here all night." He stared at her. "You _know_ that."

"I know, but I have to ask." Raven's communicator buzzed with the arrival of the files and she stared at the screen with a death glare. She turned the screen around to face him, showing Jason the grainy security footage of a tall, lithe man donning the same suit and mask that Jason wore for his own job. His stomach turned in disgust and frustration as he stared at the small screen. For all intents and purposes, that was him, and there was no way to prove otherwise.

Raven looked at him, hopeless confusion written all over her face. "So, then who in the hell is running around in your suit?"

)O(

This wasn't him.

Raven stood in middle of the upscale jewelry store and stared at the mess that littered the floor. Jason was neat and organized, both in his thievery and in his personal life. There was no need to make a mess if you didn't have to. No need to scatter glass and unwanted items all over the floor. And there was certainly no need to show your face to a security camera. _That _ was how he'd managed to avoid capture and discovery all these years. The few times a crime scene had been upended had been because their carnal desires got a little out of hand, and Raven lost control of her powers. The museum heist nearly six months ago was case and point.

"Robin, it just doesn't seem like him." Raven picked her way through the broken glass and pieces of display cases, moving towards her leader and frowning as she stared at the empty cases around her. "It's just so… _messy_."

Robin stared at her with a raised eyebrow, hastily writing down notes on a small pad of paper. "And why does this not seem like something he would do? He's made a mess before, Raven. It's not like this is anything new for him."

"But it's more than that, why a jewelry store?" She motioned to the jewels around her. "We know he's got tastes and desires that run a little more upscale than just some paltry jewelry, so why would he choose to do this now?"

Robin sighed and snapped the pad of paper closed, watching her from behind his mask. "Because he's a _thief_, Raven. I don't fully understand him, and I don't really want to. All I know is that he steals for the thrill of stealing. It doesn't matter what it is, jewels, technology, or artifacts, he _steals_. It's what he does, and it's our job to stop him."

"That seems like a trite explanation for his personality." Raven bit back an indignant huff, trying to keep her emotions under control. She shouldn't have been so upset that her leader blatantly put down her secret boyfriend (after all, Jason was an arch-nemesis who held the number two spot on Robin's "Shit List"), but she was more upset that he was getting blamed for a crime he didn't commit. Jason had been with her all night, and there was no way in hell he could have pulled his heist without her knowing, let alone leave the crime scene such a mess and show his face to the security camera. It just wasn't him.

"Sometimes criminals are just criminals, Raven." He opened the note pad again and scratched down a few more notes. "I've learned that from my time in Gotham."

Raven fought against the urge to roll her eyes. Of course, he _always _brought up his mentor and how _amazing_ the Dynamic Duo really was, and all the good he did for his old stomping grounds. After all, before Batman and Robin, Gotham was such a crime-riddled city that there was nothing to do there except live and try not get shot or poisoned or blown up. The Joker was always nipping at the heels of every upstanding citizen, blah blah blah… he could seriously drone on for hours.

She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him. "I'm just saying that after all the time we've dealt with Red X, we should know that _this _crime scene doesn't feel like something he would have done."

Robin sighed again. "I'm not a criminal profilist."

"I'm not asking you to be. I'm asking you to use logic."

"Why do you care so much, Raven?" Robin returned her blank stare with suspicion. "We know he's a thief. We know he's stolen before. Hell, he's taken from _us _before, but you're standing here defending him as if he's done nothing wrong."

"I'm not defending him." Raven glared and tried to ignore the small bubble of panic in her chest. She knew she should have just backed down from the argument, and that fighting against Robin would have raised suspicion, but she had to push back at her leader. "I'm trying to make sure we aren't targeting the wrong person because you have a playground brawl with Red X over him taking your favorite toy."

Oops. She said too much.

Robin's face turned red and he stumbled over his words for a moment before he pointed to the door. "Go home, Raven. If I needed you to critique my detective and leadership skills, I would have asked. But I didn't, and you were out of line. You're suspended for the rest of the day, so go home."

She winced. Suspension meant she was stuck in the tower for the rest of the day, waiting for her teammates to come back and tell her what they found. If she was pulled off the case, then she couldn't help clear Jason's name. "Robin, I'm sorry… I didn't mean-"

"Go. Home." He pointed to the door again. "If I feel like you can come back and appropriately participate in the investigation, I will let you know. But for right now, you're more of a hinderance than a help, so go home."

Raven pulled her hood up over her head and stared down at the floor, feeling her friends' eyes follow her movements through the debris to the door. Cyborg tried to get Robin to calm down and bring Raven back, but he was unrelenting in his decision, and Raven didn't really blame him. She had insulted him, and he was always quick to react to his temper rather than listen to reason.

Of course, with all the evidence stacked up against Red X, there wasn't a whole lot of reason to be had.

Raven sighed and flew back to the tower, debating briefly on whether or not she should stop by Jason's apartment to let him know the details of the heist. It probably wasn't the best idea. She knew that telling him the details would only rile him up even more, and she could only imagine what his reaction would be if he knew someone was was _actually_ running around with his name and reputation. And then she would have one more mess to pick up after.

As she moved through the streets of downtown, she could feel a strange tension in the air, like violin strings tuned too tight. It wasn't unusual for Raven to feel particularly strong emotions wafting through the air most days, after all Jump City was home to well over a million people, and her powers were tuned into the emotions of both herself and others. But this didn't feel quite like that, it felt… different. Uneasy and unbalanced, like something serious was going to happen any moment.

She stopped mid-air and hovered, looking around for the source of the strange energy. It looked like any other Saturday in Jump. People milling about the sidewalk, window shopping, heading into cafes and restaurants. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and no one else seemed to feel the strange tension. Maybe Raven was just imagining things.

A minute passed, and then two.

And then an explosion blasted through the wall of the nearest bank, littering an alley with dust, debris, and the charred remains of 100 dollar bills floating through the air like smoldering confetti. The shockwave of the sound was so loud that a few windows broke open with the sound, and Raven had to concentrate to not lose her control over her powers. Through the cloud of smoke and dust, she caught the tall, slender shape that she had seen on the grainy security footage from the jewelry store.

Red X.

Well, his imposter anyway. She pushed the alert button on her communicator, signalling the other Titans to her position and alerting them to danger. Without wasting another moment, she fell from her position in the sky and followed the perpetrator through the alleyway behind the bank, easily avoiding the weapons he threw at her. She wasn't stupid enough to get caught by those anymore, Jason would have known that.

"Awe, come on, Sunshine… let me have a little fun at least."

Raven nearly lost her concentration at the sound of his voice, and almost fell from the air in shock. It sounded almost exactly like Jason, but the cadence was off. He was emphasizing the wrong syllables, his tongue didn't move over the words the right way, and Jason didn't call her "Sunshine" anymore. He was more apt to use "Little Bird" when they met in battle, indicating that whatever he did, he was thinking about her.

Raven stared at the imposter as he skidded to a halt at the end of the alley, her eyes traveling over his slender form. His hips were wrong, his shoulders a few inches too broad, and he favored his right side, not his left. But the most telling thing was his movements. His actions were almost identical to Jason's, but they weren't smooth and graceful, just awkward and boxy. As if he knew how he should have reacted and moved, but didn't know how to make it fluid.

Who in the world _was_ this?

"I'm not your Sunshine."

"I wouldn't mind it if you were." He tilted his head to the side, and Raven could feel his grin spread across his lips under the barrier of his mask. He glanced behind her, tapping his foot impatiently. "Where's the rest of your cohorts? Too busy with my heist yesterday?"

"Are you trying to draw us out?"

He gave a one shouldered shrug. "No, not really. Just like to see you squirm a little."

"I don't _squirm_." Raven raised an eyebrow and stared at him, waiting for him to make a move. He was an unknown factor, if Raven went into battle with him without any real idea as to what he capable of, she could get herself seriously hurt. But if she didn't make a move soon, there was the possibility of him running away. She stood her ground and gathered energy at her fingertips, trying to read him. "What do you want?"

"Awe, Sunshine. I'm _Red X_, I want it all."

"You aren't Red X, and I know that."

His posture stumbled slightly, and Raven could feel his fear and shock fill the space between them. He thought he had pulled the wool over their eyes, thought that it was as simple as putting on a suit and moving through some motions and worn out catchphrases. For all intents and purposes, he _was _Red X to her teammates, but to Raven he was just an imposter.

"I might not have you fooled," he drawled, his hand moving slowly to his belt. "But I bet I've got the rest of the team eating the lies right out of my hand."

Raven, against her better judgment, moved. She reached out with her powers trying to wrap around him before he could escape. But it was too late. Before she could stop him, he was gone, having pushed the teleportation button on his suit. Raven cursed and tried to follow him to wherever he was running to, but a second explosion immediately detonated behind her, sending bricks and more debris at the back on her body. When had he set those bombs? Red X didn't use bombs. A stray brick flung out and struck the back of her head, sending her down to the pavement with a cry and a curse.

As darkness filled in her vision, Raven could only hold onto the fleeting idea that this was very, _very _bad.

)O(

_I honestly have to say I am floored with the reaction I got from posting this. I didn't realize that you guys loved SEVEN as much as you did, and I am really, really happy you are enjoying the sequel. I hope I don't disappoint. _

_Thanks so much for all your kind words and support, and let me know what you think! _


	3. Chapter Two

**Dirty Laundry  
**Chapter Two

)O(

Raven rubbed the lump at the back of her head and grumbled out curses under her breath as her free hand shuffled through the papers on Jason's coffee table, trying to make heads or tails of the chicken-scratch that somehow passed as Robin's penmanship. Her head felt like the lump was attempting to crawl out of the back of her neck and strangle her sanity, but she couldn't stop to let it heal. She didn't exactly have the luxury of time on her hands. Instead, she had a copycat thief on the loose who was framing her boyfriend for crimes he didn't commit.

Because _this _was what she wanted to do with her first week back in America: track down a copycat with an ego even bigger than her boyfriend's.

She bit back an annoyed growl and picked up the crime scene notes again. She had lifted them from Robin's office before she ducked out of the tower (blatantly violating her suspension), and made her way to Jason's flat. It didn't matter that much anyway, she doubted Robin would have noticed her absence even if he tried. No, he had been too caught up in chasing down Faux-X (as Raven had taken to calling him) to notice that his notes had gone missing, and probably wouldn't notice for at least a few more days while he was on one of his beat-detective kicks. So, Raven now had every piece of evidence she could get her hands on splayed out on Jason's coffee table as they tried to piece together exactly who Faux-X was and what in the world he was doing running around in Jason's reputation.

"I can't believe this… I just… do you know what he's doing to me? To my _life_?" Jason stood in the kitchen drinking a beer and sulking, while simultaneously glaring at everything he laid his eyes on.

Raven rolled her eyes and turned her body to face him. "Yes. I know. You've only been bitching about it for the past hour." She sighed and continued to stare at him, tapping her fingers on her knees in annoyance. "Are you just going to stand there and pout like a child all night, or are you going to help me actually figure this out and clear your name?"

His frown deepened and his eyes narrowed at her, and Raven could feel his indignant anger bubble up between the two of them. "Sorry if I seem a little pissy to you, but how would you feel if someone stole all your hard work, ignored the careful boundaries you created, and paraded around in your face?"

"Okay, okay…" She held up her hands in defeat and moved into the kitchen with him, leaning against the opposite counter and looking into his face. Raven took a deep breath and calmed down her erratic emotions before something exploded. They were both upset right now, and getting angry at each other was not going to take care of the _serious_ situation they both faced. "Look, I understand you're upset, Jason, but sitting here and sulking isn't helping me figure this out. I need your help with this, I can't do it alone."

Those words seemed to bring his attention back to her and his sighed, running a hand through his already messy hair and setting his beer down. "I'm sorry, Rae. I don't mean to take it out on you. It's just that I worked too hard to have my reputation ruined by someone who thinks they can use all my effort to their own advantage."

Raven smirked and stared up at him. "That's some statement coming from the guy who stole the suit from Robin in the first place."

He rolled his eyes, but there was no anger behind it. He wasn't ashamed of what he'd done, and Raven doubted he ever would be. He was too proud of everything that he'd accomplished with the aid of Robin's suit, and admitting that he was the one who stole someone else's thunder first was beneath him.

"I'm only saying that I want this to stop before it gets out of hand."

"And that's why I'm trying to help you." She moved a bit closer to him, indulging in the soft scent of his cologne mingling with the subtle coffee scent wafting from his dark microbrew. Against her own judgement, she leaned her body closer to him, wrapping herself in his presence. A minute of silence passed between them, and Raven felt her mind wander immediately. Had it really only been over a month since she had last seen him? It seemed so much longer than that, and she had almost forgotten how much she truly missed his company.

She had to fight back laughter at that thought. Who would have thought that she would have missed anyone's company, let alone a thief and technically one of her team's arch-nemeses. Goddess only knew what her team would have thought about their relationship if they ever found out.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her deep into his embrace, resting his chin on the top of her head. He mumbled something unintelligible into her hair before following it up with, "I know you're trying to help, and I don't mean to be a…"

"An idiot?"

He frowned, but knew better than to argue with her. "Okay, an _idiot_." Pause. "I just don't know what to do."

"I get it, Jason." She nuzzled her head into the crook of his shoulder and sighed, trying to keep her emotions under control. "You're upset, and I don't blame you for being that way, but I could really use your help trying to figure all of this out. It's not my ass I'm trying to save."

"Touche." He kissed the top of her head, and Raven could feel the instant flash of heat between them at his caress. "Okay, I'll come help you."

"Thanks." She moved back towards the sofa, rubbing the lump on the back of her head again. She sent a jolt of her energy into the knot and groaned as it released its hold on her head for a moment. Behind her, she could feel Jason's concerned stare burn into her shoulders. She waited for the inevitable:

"Are you okay?"

Raven dropped her hand immediately and turned to look over at her boyfriend, raising an eyebrow. "I'm _fine_. Don't dote on me like a child, it's not like I haven't been doing this for years. I think I can take a few punches."

"Fine. I understand. You're the big, strong scary demon who doesn't need help." He rolled his eyes and shook his head, and Raven felt the burn of anger bubble up between them.

Jason was still volatile and she needed to be patient with him until they made actual progress with this whole ordeal, because until then, he was going to be a pain in her ass. Although she really couldn't be too upset with him over his attitude, after all, he did have someone running around Jump City trying to ruin his reputation and destroy his livelihood.

She sighed and returned her stare to the papers on the coffee table. "I'm just trying to help, you know."

He winced and looked away, knowing he'd overstepped his boundaries. "I'm sorry. I know you're trying to help, I just don't know what to do." Jason followed her into the living room, his anger spiking again. "I just can't believe he detonated a _bomb_, Raven. I don't detonate bombs! They're expensive and loud, and cause _serious _collateral damage. What was this idiot _thinking_?"

"He wasn't, and that's our problem. He's being reckless and he is going to get someone killed, and _you're _going to take the fall." She glanced up from her own notes and looked at him again, frowning. His emotions moved and changed again, confusing Raven even more. His thoughts were all over the place and it was a damn miracle her head hadn't exploded yet. "Are you angry because of the damage that was caused, or are you angry because your reputation is at stake?"

"Both, I guess." He shrugged and shuffled his feet, as if embarrassed. "And I'm angry because he hurt you."

"That's sweet," she said, her eyes still scouring Robin's notes for any clues he might have missed. "But it's not the first time I've been pummeled by explosives and debris, and it certainly won't be the last. Besides, I already told you that I can take care of myself just fine."

"I know, and I don't doubt that."

"But…?"

Jason came up behind her and slid his hands over her shoulders, trying to rub the knots from her muscles. "But I'm just worried, Rae. Whoever this person is… he has no regard for the lives that his 'heists' effects. If he was ready to detonate a bomb just to get away, think of what would happen if he actually wanted to inflict harm on someone. Think about what could happen if this whole copycat thing is more than stealing my face."

His thumbs slid up her neck and Raven had to bite back an excited moan. She had nearly forgotten what it felt like to simply have him touch her. A month shouldn't have seemed like such a long time, but it _was_. It was an impossibly long time, and she had missed the simple joy of being in his arms and wrapped in his presence.

"I know. I have the same concern." She glanced over her shoulder and him and frowned, tapping her pen on her notepad. "To top it all off, he knows that I know the truth now, which makes me a serious target if he wants to keep this whole ruse going."

"_Great_." He dropped over the back of the sofa and wrapped his arms around her, pressing his cheek to hers. "This is terrible, isn't it?"

"Beyond terrible." There was a long pause between them, and Raven finally asked the question that had been plaguing her all week: "How in the world did he get a suit anyway?"

"I don't know." Jason moved around the sofa and sat next to her, paging through the notes in front of him. "As far as I knew, I have the only suit that Robin made. Unless he made another and I didn't know about it."

"He didn't…" Raven rubbed her temples, trying to ward off a headache as she stared down into a few still-shots from the security cameras. "But look at the suit in these pictures…" She placed the photos on top of the other notes. "It just doesn't look _right_. It almost looks… homesewn, and not at all the quality Robin created. I mean, he used that suit to get into Slade's lair, it had to be _real_ and actually protect him. But, this isn't the same quality, look at the way the fabric pulls and moves. The material isn't Kevlar, and it's not neoprene either."

"Which makes it what? Spandex?" Jason snorted and rolled his eyes. "_Spandex_? Seriously? What is this, a comic book? Real superheroes don't wear _spandex,_ that's like asking for you to get shot, stabbed, or burned."

"I know." Raven shuffled through the pictures again. "Which makes me wonder if he's just some punk kid."

Jason groaned and leaned back against the sofa. "I'm being copycated by a _kid_ who probably took a semester of homec? Great. Fucking great."

"Well, imitation _is_ a form of flattery." Raven laughed and set the photos back down. "Maybe you're his idol. What was your motto when we first met? Stealing jewels, hearts, and panties alike?"

He gave her a deadpanned stare. "Not funny, Rae."

She smirked. "I beg to differ."

He sighed again. "What am I going to do? We have to get this cleared up by Wednesday night at the latest. I finally have a mark and I don't want my contractors thinking I've lost my touch because some idiot kid is running around with my face and my reputation."

"Jason…" Raven chewed on her lower lip and watched him carefully. "I don't think it's a good idea that you go out on a mark on Wednesday. There's too much going on and there's too much at stake."

He raised an eyebrow and stared at her, lips twitching as if he were fighting something inside him. "A job is a job, Raven. And I haven't seen work in over two weeks. Not that I'm pressed for cash or anything, but I want to make sure that I won't _have _to be pressed for cash. I can't ignore this opportunity, and you know that."

"I do." She sighed and fidgeted with file, putting all the papers back inside it. "I understand, Jason, I really do. It's just… I'm worried about what will happen if you _do_ get caught. There have been two heists pulled already and Wednesday is still a few days away. What happens if there're more heists? What if this kid ruins your reputation even more? You need a sound alibi."

Jason looked from her hands to her face, and pulled the file from between her fingers. He set it down on the coffee table, giving her his trademark smolder. "Oh, come on, Raven. I think I have a pretty sound alibi."

Raven rolled her eyes, but she was unable to keep her heart from skipping. What _was _it about him? They were in the middle of a serious dilemma, and yet he still managed to make her resolve melt like ice on a summer sidewalk. It was as if he knew exactly how to act to make her forget that they were in serious trouble. Raven pushed at his shoulders. "You can't use me as an alibi, you know that. We're not supposed to be together."

"Oh, I beg to differ…" He grinned, his lips sliding up her neck, leaving a trail of fire webbing across her skin wherever he touched. "I think I certainly _can_ use you."

"Come on, Jason, we have bigger things to think about." Her protest sounded weak to her own ears, and she could feel her fingers reaching out to unbutton his shirt, desperate to touch him again.

"It'll still be there later." He nibbled on her ear, his hands sliding under the hem of her shirt and tracing the curve of her spine with feather-light touches. Gooseflesh erupted over the alabaster silk and her fingers tightened in the folds of his dark shirt. "I promise it's not going anywhere. Meanwhile, you and I have a whole month of _activities _to catch up on."

Raven groaned and tilted her head back as he bit into her flesh on her neck, sucking on the love bite. She wasn't stupid, she knew exactly what he was doing. He was trying to make her forget about the severity of their conversation, and she should have pushed him off her with a few _choice _words, but her body was so starved for his touch that she just didn't care all that much anymore.

She tried to glare at him, but knew she didn't look all that dangerous. "You're trying to distract me from being mad at you."

"Maybe." He smiled against her skin as his hands slid around to the front of her body and cupped her breasts through her bra. His thumbs ran over her nipples, drawing slow, languid circles around them. "Is it working?"

Raven's response was an unintelligible gurgle of words and phrases mingled together, and she nearly purred with delight when she felt his tongue trace the sensitive spot behind her left ear. She pushed her body against his own in response, her hands running down his now bare chest, tracing the shape of his toned muscles.

"I'm going to take that as a 'yes'." He pushed her back into his sofa, tugging her shirt off over her head in one fluid motion. Chilled air raced across her overheated skin, creating a sensation that drove her halfway to madness. His hands dipped into the cups of her bra, fingers sliding over her already peaked nipples and teasing. He leaned down and captured her breathless moan on her lips as he feasted on her kisses. It was almost as if he were hungering for something that only she could give, and he would do anything to take it from her. Raven ground her hips against him, and he groaned into her mouth, capturing her lower lip between his teeth.

"Be good, Little Bird, or I'm not going to be gentle."

Her eyes swept up to meet his, and her hand slid up the inside of his thigh. "What makes you think I want you to be gentle?"

Jason grinned and opened his mouth to respond, but his words were drowned out by the piercing sound of Raven's communicator going off. Cursing vehemently, she slid out from under Jason's body and grabbed the bright yellow object off the floor. Jason growled and watched her with a mixture of frustration and hunger, his erection straining against the thin fabric of his trousers.

Raven gave him an apologetic look and flicked the communicator open. "Raven here."

Robin's face looked back at her, eyes narrowed behind his mask. "Where the _fuck_ are you, Raven?"

"Out."

"Violating your suspension?"

Jason's eyebrows peaked and he mouthed 'suspension' in shock.

"I had some errands to run." Raven shrugged, biting back the scathing remarks she wished she could have said to him. Sometimes it was just as taxing to be a member of Robin's team as it was to be an actual superhero. "I'm sorry that my entire life doesn't revolve around the team and I have things to do that require me leaving the tower."

"Jesus-fucking-christ, Raven. What in the world is going on with you?" He ran his hand through his hair and looked away from the screen, obviously trying to calm himself down. "I feel like I don't even know you anymore. You're my right-hand man, Raven, but you're not acting like it. I rely on you to keep the rest of the team in line, and you're violating your suspension like some angry, rebellious teenager. What in hell are you thinking?"

Raven blinked in surprise as she stared at her leader's frustrated face. For the first time in the six months since she had started her relationship with Jason, she had _actual _remorse. Robin relied on her for a lot of things, and being the moral backbone of the team was one of the most important ones. Her heart fell a little and she glanced at Jason, who at least looked a little apologetic and sheepish, before turning back to her communicator.

"You're right, Robin." His shocked face stared back at her, as if he was expecting her to put up more of a fight. "I'm sorry I violated my suspension, and I broke the rules. But, I had a hunch for Red X and I wanted to look into it before we made the wrong decision."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering curses under his breath. "Without back-up, Raven? After what happened this morning, I would have thought that you would have been a little more careful. Are you trying to kill yourself, or are you just plain stupid?"

"I said I was sorry." Raven pursed her lips, trying to keep herself from calling him a whole dictionary's worth of names. "I just don't believe that what we saw today was the work of Red X, but you were too caught up in what we saw to listen to me."

"Okay, okay…" He sighed and held up his hands. "We'll look into the possibility of a copycat, Raven. If you honestly think that this is the work of someone or something else, then we'll figure it out. But, I don't think we should rule out that this is the _actual_ Red X just yet either."

Raven glanced up at Jason and he threw his hands up in frustration. She looked back at her communicator and nodded. "Okay." She paused and let the moment of friendship slide into the cracks of their silence. "What was the alert about, Robin?

"We have another heist. This time down by the docks."

Raven winced as Jason stormed into his bedroom and closed the door, letting off a string of curses so profane that it would have made a sailor blush. She glanced back down at her communicator. "Let me guess… Red X?"

He nodded. "The one and only."

Raven sighed and rolled her eyes to the ceiling, fighting the strange sinking feeling in her stomach. What in the world was going on?

)O(

_I know this was a bit of filler and foreshadowing for things later, so I apologize for the lack of excitement. But there will be much more excitement next chapter, and maybe some smut. We'll see. _

_Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think! _


	4. Chapter Three

**Dirty Laundry  
**Chapter Three

)O(

His head cocked to the side, trying to catch snippets of the conversation between police officers as he melted into the crowd slowly building around the investigation site. Robin and Cyborg were standing next to the commanding officer, discussing subtle nuances of the site and what it meant for the criminal known as Red X. It wouldn't be long before the rest of the Titans showed their faces and started investigating as well. Glancing around at the people both behind the caution tape and in front of it, he felt a bubble of satisfaction knowing he had successfully pulled off yet another heist, and they all thought it was the real Red X.

Well, except for Raven. His happy bubble popped and he glowered slightly. Leaning back on his heels, his eyes darted around him, trying to see her face in the crowd of superheroes and police officers.

Their conversation this afternoon made him realize that he wasn't as perfect as he thought he was. He had spent an immeasurable amount time analyzing the few and rare pieces of footage he had found of Red X, figuring out his fighting style, the way he held himself and interacted with the Titans, and the nuances to his speech and movements. He had been incredibly proud of himself after he started his plan, feeling like he had managed to get away with far more than even he expected.

And then _Raven_ happened.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, eyes looking up at the sky for her familiar, shadowed form against the dark purple of the city's night sky. What made her special? What made her realize that he wasn't the real Red X? In all the footage that he had ever encountered, Red X hadn't interacted with her once. He had slapped a tacky X over her mouth to stop her incantations, and moved away to flirt with Starfire. So, how could Raven have even the slightest inkling that he wasn't the real Red X. Was it that she could sense his emotions? He had tried to keep himself guarded around her powers, but it seemed that it was all for nothing. She knew it wasn't the real Red X… but still… what in the world gave her the ability to realize that they weren't the same person?

He sighed again, fighting off the sinking feeling in his stomach. This was going to prove problematic if she kept it up, but it was unlikely that she would be able to convince her teammates of the differences. Shrugging off his concern, he melted even deeper into the crowd before walking away. It was just a small bump in the road, and he wasn't going to be concerned with it until it became a serious problem. And that wasn't just yet. He still had hold of the reigns until his plan evened itself out. After all, this was just stage one.

)O(

Raven stood in the middle of the cavernous room, looking at the upended boxes with a mixture of anger and frustration. She turned to her leader and waved at the mess of broken boxes and pottery littering the floor. "Do you _see_ now? I am not just saying things because I want to hear myself speak."

"Okay. Okay." He held up his hands in defeat as he walked up to her. "You have a valid point." Robin leaned back on his heels and rubbed his chin in confusion, looking down at a chip of a Ming vase at his feet. "And, I see what you are talking about now, Raven. You're right, Red X would have never made such a mess before, I mean… he's broken quite a few display cases in his time-"

Raven was thankful that her hood hid her blush. The display cases weren't always _entirely_ his fault after all.

"-but he's never made _this _much of a mess before. And he's never been so reckless that he'd let his image be caught on camera. _Twice_." Robin shuffled through a few more still-shots from the warehouse's security cameras. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, obviously upset that he had to admit he was wrong about who they were investigating, but was too proud to admit it. He turned back to the rest of his team, who were gathering around him again. "So then, who or what are we dealing with? A copycat?"

"A copycat to a copycat?" Cyborg snorted.

"Jeeze, that's like a paradox." Beast Boy goaned and sat down on his haunches, obviously exhausted from investigating a third crime scene in twenty four hours. He stared up at his friends and offered a small shrug. "Well, at least he's efficient. I mean, look at what he's managed to do in the past two days. He's taken out a jewelry store, a bank, and now a shipping warehouse."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to praise him you know."

"I'm just saying, the dude is working overtime and I don't know if I can keep up." He grunted and stood back on his feet. "I'm whipped after all this, and if I have to investigate one more crime scene, I might lose a brain cell or two from outright exhaustion."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "You mean the only two you have?"

He rolled his eyes, but took no offence to her comment. After all, he'd managed to become used to her jibes over their years as teammates.

"So what's his MO?" Robin stared at his notes, his fingers running over lines of his nearly indecipherable script and lips pursing as he tried to put everything together in some kind of coherent pattern. "Nothing that he took makes any sense at all, except from a money standpoint. I mean, jewels and money and an old vase? What does this have to do with anything?"

"Perhaps he is only interested in the monetary acquisition of items of value. Perhaps these thefts are not for the same thrill that the other Red X receives when he is working a heist?" Starfire leaned over Robin's shoulder and glanced at his notes, trying to make sense of what was written there. "After all, he seems to have targeted mostly items that are of great value and the physical money itself."

Cyborg raised an eyebrow. "And the real Red X doesn't care for money?"

"The real Red X has a peculiar list of infractions, including theft of everything from chemicals, to technology, to fine art, with all of the thefts varying in degrees of difficulty. Some of the things are easy and paltry, and some of them are high-profile, incredibly guarded items. It's almost like he has a grocery list and he picks things up as he goes along." Robin flipped through his notes again. "Like he has a contract with different people needing different things, and he steals these items for this person."

Raven fought against the urge to roll her eyes, and managed to keep her face blank. How long had _that_ taken him to figure out? Some detective he was. She turned to the rest of her teammates and sighed. "So, he's a contract worker, but what about this guy? I mean, he works _fast_. Three heists in twenty four hours… it's almost like he looking for our attention."

Beast Boy rubbed his forehead and whined. "But who would _want _our attention? I mean, we're out to stop the bad guys, not congratulate them."

"That doesn't negate the fact that Raven has a valid point." Robin sighed again and snapped his notebook shut, his tired eyes meeting each of his teammate's. "I mean, all of the heists have been fairly high profile involving a lot of money, and they have garnered serious attention both from us and the media."

"Do you perhaps think that this person is working in conjunction with the real Red X?" Starfire's lips pursed as she thought. "That perhaps this is some kind of ploy to have our attention averted for a moment so Red X can pull off the actual heist?"

Raven jerked in surprise. Thinking about it objectively, that was a serious possibility, but she knew better. Jason didn't work with people. In fact, he absolutely despised x-factors, and putting his professional trust into someone else was completely out of his ability, so it was unlikely that he was tag-teaming with someone. But how in the world did she convey that idea to her teammates without exposing herself?

"He's never worked with anyone before, why start now?"

Robin shrugged and rubbed his forehead, as if warding off a headache. "Maybe he has a heist that will take longer than he expected. Maybe he needs the attention off of him for a while."

"It seems strange though."

Robin continued to stare at her, as if her concern for the actual Red X was slowly turning on a lightbulb in the dark recesses of his brain. He gave a one shouldered shrug. "It does seem strange, but we don't know the exact details of what's going on just yet. So, we can't rule it out until we have definitive evidence."

"True." Raven decided agreeing with him was better than trying to start a fight again. She glanced around at her suddenly quiet teammates, and saw their exhausted and worn out bodies slump and teeter. They were running on almost zero sleep for the past 24 hours due to their constant search for a copy cat thief that they couldn't figure out. "Look, everybody, it's getting really late. Let's go back to the tower and sleep on this for tonight. It's pointless for us to wear ourselves out by looking for something we won't find. Let's get some rest and we can approach this tomorrow with clearer heads."

Beast Boy threw up his hands in joy. "Thank you! I was waiting for someone else to call it quits for the night. I didn't want to be _that guy._"

"My batteries are running low." Cyborg tapped his arm and sighed.

"I am also beginning to feel the crankiness start." Starfire frowned.

Everyone turned and looked at Robin, waiting for his go-ahead. He just stared at Raven with a raised eyebrow, expression unreadable. Under his calm exterior Raven could feel his confusion and curiosity roiling like a kettle left to burn for too long. He eyed her carefully before continuing. "I'm fine with heading back to the tower, but I have to ask: are you coming home with us, Raven?"

Color filled her face and she stood up straight under the stares of her friends, trying to make herself look far more imposing than she actually did. Of course he would notice her frequent absences, and of course he would bring it up _now_, in front of everyone. She pulled her hood tighter around her face, trying to hide her blush.

The subtle change in her defensive posture did not go unnoticed, and Cyborg gave a low, teasing whistle in response. He grinned and nudged her shoulder teasingly. "Got a hot date or something, Raven?"

Beast Boy snickered. "As _if_. Raven couldn't find a date if it bit her in the ass."

Raven clenched her fists and glared at him, somehow managing to remind him that _they_ had dated for a brief moment in time. Instead, she sniffed indignantly at her friends. "What I do in my free time is none of your concern."

Cyborg laughed. "Oh, you_ totally _have a date, don't you?"

"Oh, Raven! You have entered into courtship with someone?" Starfire's eyes burned unusually bright and she clasped her hands together tightly, moving closer to her teammate. "May I enquire as to whom? How long have you been courting each other? And when shall we have the pleasure of meeting said person? I wish to meet him..." Her words trailed off for a moment before she added, "or her."

"Never. So, stop asking." Raven glared and pushed a little more space between her and Starfire. "And I would appreciate if you stopped teasing me." She picked invisible lint off of her cloak, trying to do anything it took to keep her face as blank and calm as possible. "I don't see how anything I do outside of the team concerns your attention."

"Because, Raven, you're so antisocial it seems damn near impossible that you might have a date." Beast Boy laughed and leaned back on his heels. "You're always locked in your room that we're lucky if we ever see you… it's just strange to think of with someone else."

Raven glowered at him. "Thanks for that cheerful breakdown of my personality."

He shrugged unrepentant. "I'm just pointing things out, no need to freak out, Rae."

"Enough, guys. Leave Raven alone." Robin's voice effectively dispersed of the teasing, earning a confused stare from Raven before he continued. "She is right, Raven can do whatever she wants in her free time outside the tower, and we shouldn't pester her about it."

There was a collective groan from the team, but everyone seemed to know that it was probably best if they didn't tease and goad the half-demon anymore.

Robin motioned toward the door. "Alright, everyone… let's head back to the tower, and we'll deal with the situation when we're better rested tomorrow. Okay?" A round of nods was his response and everyone moved slowly and awkwardly toward the exit, but Robin caught Raven's wrist before she could escape. "Can I have a moment with you, Raven?"

Of course she wasn't off the hook just yet. He was her leader and her friend, and he was going to be the most nosy out of all of her friends. She stood her ground and looked up into his face, keeping her expression blank. "Okay. What do you want to talk about?"

"First, I want to apologize for this morning and this afternoon. What I said was out of line, and I was just so wrapped up in trying to find Red X that I didn't really think about what you were saying and I overreacted. So, I'm sorry I didn't listen, because you were clearly right about the situation." He motioned to the remnants of the crime scene around them. "It's not Red X and you deserve an apology for my reaction this morning.

"Apology accepted." She raised an eyebrow, sensing he wasn't quite finished with talking to her just yet. "What _else_ did you want to talk about?"  
"I am… _curious_… as to why you've never told any of us about your boyfriend."

Raven blushed. "Well, come right out and say it, why don't you." She sighed and looked away, trying to formulate a proper and polite response to him. "Look, Robin. My relationship status has nothing to do with the team, and will _never _have anything to do with the team. While I know that you are trying to look out for me, understand that this relationship is hard on me too. I'm a superhero, and I have a lot of responsibilities in and outside the team. Also, I don't want to ruin the chance of building something emotionally fulfilling because Starfire is constantly peppering him with questions or you're giving him the third-degree." She glanced up into his sheepish face. "I want to do this on my own, and I want you to trust that I know what I'm doing."

"I just don't want to see you get hurt." He shrugged and looked away, kicking at the ground with the toe of his boot. "You're my best friend, Raven… if someone were to hurt you, I don't know what I would do."

"Let me figure that out." Raven shook her head and put much needed space between the two of them. "It's not your responsibility to try and protect me from the world, Robin. I'm an adult, I can protect myself all on my own."

"I know… I'm just trying to help."

"And I appreciate that, but you're really not helping at all."

He sighed and shook his head, looking back into his face. "Alright. If you want me to trust you, I will trust you. But you really should consider maybe bringing him around the tower. Cyborg will have a conniption if he figures out you've been sleeping with someone he hasn't met yet."

Raven's face erupted into varying shades of red. "What…? How did you know?"

Robin laughed. "Your guilt is written all over your face."

She scowled at him before walking to the door ignoring her leader's snickering as she stepped outside. Everyone had to be a critic, didn't they?

)O(

Jason stood in the shadows of the roof, staring at his watch. The guards moved in seven minute patterns and paths, which meant once the guard moved he had seven minutes to get his mark and get out. It might as well have been a year, seven minutes was more than enough time for someone as skilled as him. But still…

Something in the pit of his stomach twisted and turned cold. It had been four days since his copy cat started making his own rounds around Jump City, and his last heist was less than 12 hours ago. Even after these few days, the Titans were no closer to figuring out his identity or capturing him, and the whole city (including the Titans) were on high alert because of it. That meant Jason's heist had a higher chance of being discovered and targeted sooner. It was unlikely, but it wouldn't be unheard of. After all, the Titans were good. He shuffled a little on the tar and pebble roof, still staring at his watch, just a few minutes to go.

He still had help though. If he were discovered before he could fully make his escape, Raven would do everything in her power to keep the Titans off of him, but even she had her limits. If the Titans got too suspicious, or one of her teammates caught him first, she would have to let him be captured. It hurt a little to think of himself finally losing to the Titans, but he never blamed Raven for her job. How could he? She never blamed him for his. It was a mutual understanding that these were jobs and professions, not personal expressions of themselves or their relationship, and neither one wanted to mix business and pleasure.

The last number turned. Time to go.

Jason silently lifted the rooftop access hatch to the building and slid inside, his feet quiet as he landed on the upper floor. What he needed was in the middle of the fifteenth story, three floors below him. There was a security camera in the stairwell and in the elevator, and tampering with it would set off an alarm. Instead he pulled out a fake policeman's hat, similar to those worn by the security guards, and pulled it down over his cowl and mask. Apparently, Red X was now part of the "Naughty Night Patrol". It didn't matter, it was unlikely that the security office would look at the camera footage all that closely, and he wasn't wearing his cape so he wouldn't draw attention by any unnecessary movement either.

The stairwell was empty and he walked casually down the steps, counting his seconds as he moved. He had six minutes and fifteen seconds left when he reached the appropriate floor. Good lord, this was a fucking cake walk. Whatever. It didn't matter. He just needed to get the mark, get out, and collect his reward.

He moved down the hallway, ducking around the corner before an additional guard moved too close. Seventeen more seconds until he walked into the antechamber to the vault. Perfect. He almost had time to stop and grab a snack for the way home. Opening the door, he was befuddled by what he saw in front of him:

It was himself.

Or rather, a terrible copycat version of himself.

"You."

The small box containing the microchip with the information on it fell to the floor, forgotten in the tense silence of the small room. Neither one of the Red Xs moved to pick it up, and neither one of them dared to break eye-contact.

"I never thought I'd get to meet you in person."

Jason glared behind the mask, sizing the slender form up. "Is this some kind of sick joke? What are you doing?"

"Stealing." He shrugged. "For fun."

"For _fun_?" Red flashed across his vision, and Jason moved forward to wrap his fingers into the cheap spandex surrounding his throat. He pulled the slightly shorter Red X up to his height and growled. "Are you fucking kidding me? Do you even have any idea what you're doing to yourself? To me? This isn't _fun_, kid. This is a _job_. This is my livelihood and how I _survive_ everyday, and you are ruining it by trying to emulate me."

The kid ripped Jason's hand off of his throat and stumbled back down to the floor, gasping for breath as he glared. "Emulate you? Is that what you think I'm doing, you egotistical _prick_? Ha! Yeah-fucking-right. You're a pain in my side and you're not the only one who does this for a living. So, I am going to bring you down the only way I know how, by _beating_ you."

"Beating me?" Jason snarled. "I'd like to see you _try_."

"I already have." Without another word, he moved around Jason and disappeared into the hall. Jason reached down and grabbed his mark still lying on the floor, fully intending on chasing the kid through hell and high water, but when he looked up, he was met with the sobering image of six police officers and five Titans.

His stomach dropped as he stared into their faces, looking specifically at the one of intense horror on Raven's delicate features. He winced, there was nothing she could do to protect him now, and he didn't want her to stick her neck out. The odds were stacked against him, and Jason only had one possible reaction:

"Fuck."

)O(

_Sorry for the absence, everyone! I have had a hellish month between school, work, and my (sort-of) first Con (where my fan-girl card was revoked because I apparently cannot control myself - I'm looking at you adorable Raven cosplayers at Youmacon), so I apologize for the delay in getting this to you. Updates should be a little more frequent from here on out.  
Anyway, thanks for being awesome and reading this chapter! Please let me know what you think!_


	5. Chapter Four

**Dirty Laundry  
**Chapter Four

)O(

Raven didn't hesitate. She couldn't. She had felt the body move before her friends even registered that there might have been someone else in the room. Turning quickly, she raced down the hall, sending out her powers as she tried to ignore the sound of her teammates calling out for her. She had seen the form slink down the shadowy hallway, Jason's belt in hand. Her teammates had been too dumbfounded by the sight of Red X in front of him that they hadn't seen or felt the other presence disappear down the hallway.

He moved upward. Damnit. He was teleporting, which made the chase _that _much harder. If he moved too far, he would be out of the range of her powers and she wouldn't be able to follow him. How in the world had Jason let this happen? He was usually so careful, that there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell that he would have let himself be caught _and _have his belt stolen from him.

She phased through the floors of the building, following the faint trail of his presence as he teleported to the roof and into freedom. His aura was quickly dissipating, and it wouldn't be much longer before it disappeared entirely. She pushed into the outside air and her feet touched the roof just as he finished snapping the belt around his waist with a definitive "click".

Raven glared at his back, but did not approach him just yet. She had no idea how dangerous he really was especially now that he had a plethora of tools to use against her, and without the back-up of her team she wasn't willing to chance her safety. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Me?" He turned around to look at her as the ruse of pretending to be Red X faded from his presence. His stance changes and his movements melted back into something more natural. It was as if he'd achieved his goal, so there was no more reason to play the part of the other thief. "I am taking what's rightfully mine. My cheap imitation of a suit and belt was never going to be as good as the real thing. So, I took his belt, and now it's mine. What of it, little demon? What does it matter to you?"

"Yours?" Raven snarled, ignoring the rude slur towards her heritage and being careful trying not to intimidate him too much. She wanted him to think that he had the upperhand, and let him wallow in false security. She needed information, and she wouldn't get that if she looked as powerful as she actually was. "I don't believe that technology was _ever _yours."

"It's mine now… and what are you going to do about it, Raven?" He hooked his thumbs into the belt and leaned back on his heels, taunting her with his stance. "Are you going to try and stop me? Without the aid of your team?"

"Of course." She leaned forward, gathering her energy at her fingertips. "I fully intend on stopping you."

He laughed, throwing his head back in the sudden amusement at the idea of being taken by her small form. "I'd like to see you try without your teammates to back you up… besides, aren't they too busy capturing the _real _Red X to be interested in the copy cat?" His laughter faded off, and he cocked his head to the side, staring at her, eyeing her. "Although… I must say, I'm curious as to how you knew I wasn't the real X."

"Intuition."

"No… it's more than that." He sniffed and moved closer to her, his shoulders hunching like an animal as he approached her. She felt his eyes roam over her face and he gave a low, unamused chuckle. "You didn't even _hesitate_ when you saw me three days ago. Like you saw something different in me."

"Your suit is made of cheap spandex." There was a snap of black energy at her fingertips, and the noise stopped his advancing. "Your cadence is off, you're two inches shorter than him, your shoulders are too wide, and your attacks are blocky and poorly executed." Energy snapped again and she continued to glare at him. "Just because I am not the Titan's resident detective does not mean I'm unobservant."

"Such vibrant detail."

"Observation."

"Is that all?" There was a long pause and he laughed. "You slept with him, didn't you?"

Color flooded Raven's face, but she managed to keep her expression blank. "I am shocked you would have come to that ridiculous conclusion. Contrary to popular belief, not every human is guided by their hormones."

"Oh no. You _totally _slept with him. You're running the gray path aren't you? Trying to play both teams and unable to choose sides?" He stepped up to her again, this time just a few feet from her, taunting her with his proximity. "How does it feel, Raven? To know that you are betraying your good name and your team all because of one thief's cock? All because he knows how to pleasure a woman? Seems a paltry thing to lose your place on the team over."

"I don't know why you're set on this ridiculous idea that we've slept together, and I don't see what this has to do with the fact that I am going to beat you into the ground." Raven glared and raised her hands, encased her her black energy. "Enough of this. Give back the belt and I'll let you live."

"How about… no?" He laughed and moved even closer to her, still taunting her behind the cheap excuse for a mask. "Let me make a better deal. Why don't you let me go, and I'll pretend this interaction never happened. I won't even tell your precious leader about you lying spread eagle with the number one guy on his shit list?"

Raven snarled. "Who is he going to believe? A cheap excuse for a copycat thief, or me?"

He shrugged, undeterred by her logic. "He might not believe me… but I'll sew seeds of doubt, and then he'll figure it out all on his own without my help… and I can already see the disappointment on his face, little demon. He'll look at you with those disapproving eyes and boot you from the team, and where will you go? What will you do?"

He was trying to get under her skin, and as much as Raven wanted to ignore his words, there was legitimate truth in it, and _that _frightened her. What _would _happen if she was kicked from the team? What would happen if she jeopardize her standing with her friends and companions. A cold, sinking feeling blossomed in her stomach and she swallowed the feeling as if it were a bitter poison.

She was better than this, and she would not let some paltry, upstart punk get the better of her. Releasing a war-cry, her powers lashed out to attack him, snapping black every around his form like whips. He dodged the attacks expertly, weaving through the ribbons of energy and the stray AC condensing unit without missing a beat. He moved like a well-trained dancer. It was as if he fully knew and expected this from her, just waiting for her moment to strike. But he didn't fight back, just merely avoided her own.

When Raven paused to switch tactics, he made his escape and jumped off the edge of the roof, teleporting away from her as he fell towards earth.

Cursing, Raven tried to race after him, but he was already gone, and she was left with the sobering echo of his words.

)O(

It was a little known fact that the Titans had holding cells in the tower. Hidden somewhere in the maze of passages, staircases, and rooms, there were two small cells encased in thick concrete walls and without windows, and one of them was currently being occupied by Jason. It was eerily quiet, and the only sound that could be heard was the ragged noise of Jason's breath as he desperately searched for something to pick the lock on his handcuffs with. Nothing. Not even a loose screw or nail. Curses fell from his lips as he slid down the length of the cool, concrete wall to the floor.

He rested his hands on his knees and stared at the floor, listening to his breathing as he waited for the door to open. How had this _happened_? How had he been caught? Oh, right, he'd gotten careless and made stupid decisions. He'd been so caught up in the idea that he _had _to make this mark and that he needed the income, that he hadn't heeded Raven's warning. Now he was without his belt and tools, trapped in the Titan holding cell, awaiting some disgusting form of pre-interrogation before he was turned over to the police to be properly processed. It wasn't legal, he wasn't read his Miranda rights, but it didn't matter, Robin was going to get his pound of flesh any way he could.

There was slight scuffling outside the cell and he looked up, waiting for something to happen. The lock clicked and the steel door opened, showing Raven and Starfire's curvy silhouettes against the bright, white light of the outside world. He winced a little in pain, as the light struck his eyes like pins. How long had he been in the dark? He couldn't remember.

A smirk peeled across his lips as he looked up at his captors, trying to keep his facade firmly in place. "Is it already time for my conjugal visit? Not that I'm complaining or anything, I'm just not entirely sure if my body is ready yet… I might need a little help."

Raven, in spite of the fear and frustration for their situation blatantly evident on her face, rolled her eyes and shook her head. Next to her, Starfire's fists glowed with power at the salacious idea of Red X and her engaging in sexual intercourse.

"I do not appreciate such teasing from a criminal such as yourself!" She stamped her foot, leaving a hairline crack in the cement beneath her feet from the force of her emotions. "And it would be most beneficial for you if you cease this pointless flirtation with myself!"

He laughed at her and stumbled to his feet, leaning on the wall behind him as casually as he could with his limited movement. "Oh, don't worry, Red, that invitation wasn't for _you_."

Starfire jerked a little in surprise, as if shocked and a little bit miffed that he wasn't overtly trying to flirt with her. Her eyes flitted towards her teammate, but Raven's stare was glued forward, watching Jason move around in his dark gray jumpsuit. Minutes ticked by and not a syllable was uttered until Starfire jumped back into the conversation.

"Raven, are you not insulted by his advances?"

"No." She finally glanced at her friend and gave a one shouldered shrug. "It's just Red X, Star. I hardly think he's worth the energy of feeling insulted."

"Ouch, little bird." He offered her his trademark smile, trying to silently tell her to stop worrying about him. He'd find a way out of this mess and she didn't need to worry. She also didn't need to insult him either. "I didn't think you'd be so brutally honest with me."

"Enough, X." Raven rolled her eyes and frowned, moving deeper into the cell and closer to him. "It's time to go."

"Already?" He sighed as they flanked his form, guiding him from the cell and into the hallway. "You know, I always love having two beautiful women on my arms, but I never imagined it would have been _me_ that was handcuffed." His head turned to Starfire and he grinned. "Interested in a little bondage play, Red? I hear it really heightens the pleasure."

Starfire snarled up at him and called him something undoubtedly rude in Tameranean.

"No?" He looked down at Raven, his fingers stroking her own. "What about you, little bird? Interested in a little playtime?"

"Stop playing these games, X. It's not going to help your case at all, and it's starting to get on my nerves." Raven's face was blank, but her pale, soft hand tightened on his forearm in a small indication that she was frustrated both by his teasing and the situation.

He stared into her steely face and felt an uncontrollable frown tugging at his lips. She really _was_ trying to think of a way out of this whole situation for him, a way that didn't jeopardize her place on the team, or her standing with her friends. But, there was none, and Jason knew that. Hell, _they both_ knew that. They were just going to have to accept his fate as it was: a shiny new inmate at Jump City Penitentiary.

Jason nudged her shoulder with his, trying to wipe away his frown with another grin. "So, after all this is over, will you come and visit me at the JCPen? I mean… I'd hate to miss out on your beautiful face simply because I'm behind bars and all."

Raven glanced up at him, determination lining her dark eyes. She said nothing to him, but there was enough resolve in her expression to clearly show that she had no intention of letting that scenario come to fruition. That was a nice thought, although he had no idea how she was going to stop it. She blinked and kept looking forward, ignoring the confused glances that Starfire kept throwing at her, trying to decipher their interaction as they traveled down the long hallway.

Starfire pushed the interrogation room door open and Raven led him inside, setting him down at the table and handcuffing him to the surface. Starfire moved away from the door frame, glancing curious stares over her shoulder as she exited. When Jason was sure that Starfire was out of sight and earshot, he turned and looked at Raven next to him, who was securing his handcuffs tightly around his wrists.

"Little bird."

Her face never moved from the shadows of her hood.

"Little bird, look at me."

She glanced up at him, and he saw the spice of fear tainting her expression.

"I don't know what to do, little bird." His voice was soft, and he twisted his body just enough to kiss the line of her jaw, tasting the undeniable salt of dried tears on her skin. She pulled away and glared at him, tilting her head in the direction of the security cameras mounted in the corner of the room.

_I'll figure something out._ She mouthed, no sounds coming from her lips.

He looked up at her, surprise on his face. "How?"

She ignored him and moved toward the exit, escaping the conversation. Jason sighed and leaned his head back against the back of the hard, metal chair, staring at the ceiling. What in the world was he going to do? He wasn't one to accept his fate, but he couldn't see an exit strategy from this either. So what could he do, except sit here and wait to hear the judgment on him without the aid of a trial?

Minutes passed in painful silence before Robin entered the room, a cocky smirk spread across his lips. He walked abound the small table and plopped into the chair across from him, tossing a thick, manila folder onto the surface. He didn't laugh or gloat, much to Jason's surprise, and instead sat down across from him, paging through the folder without looking up.

The silence continued for another moment before Jason couldn't take it anymore. He gave a humorless bark of laughter and stared at his arch nemesis. "Really, kid? You're not going to say anything? No sharp one-liners for me then?" Jason leaned back into his chair as much as he could, considering his inhibited movement, and tried to keep his usual smile on his face. It was the only thing he had the gave him some control over the situation. "Nothing like 'X marks the spot'? 'I've done an x-ceptional job at catching you'? Nothing at all?"

Robin turned another page without looking up, gloved fingers tapping on the metal surface of the table.

Jason sighed. "Come on, kid. You can't keep me in silence like this."

"Name."

"He speaks." He chuckled, but didn't get a reaction out of Robin. "Ah, all business I see."

"Name."

"Phillip J. Fry."

Robin started to write that down before hastily scratching it out, realizing that it was a fictional TV character. He glanced up again, his mouth a thin, white line on his face. "Name."

"James Hetfield."

Robin growled. "_Name_."

"Samuel Winchester."

"_Name_."

"Ichabod Crane."

"_Name_."

"Kesha."

Robin slammed his pen down with a definitive smack. "_Seriously_? We have you, X. You have no where to go, nothing you can do to possibly escape us, and you're not helping yourself by not talking to me. Tell me your name and we can do this and painlessly as possible. Fight me, and you'll just make it worse for yourself."

Jason grinned, undeterred by his threats. "Rupert Grint."

Robin sighed and rubbed his temples as if trying to ward off a headache. "Have I ever told you how much I _seriously_ hate you?"

"All the time, Sweetheart. It's like your mating call for me… I can hear it across the bay like a serenade." He chuckled and stared back at Robin, watching his frustration build as if he were watching an exciting movie. "I really didn't think this would be such a conundrum for you, Pumpkin. It's just a name after all. Why bother with that when you've got the real thing totally in your grasp? I mean, I'm here and there's no point in dragging names into this, now is there?"

"_Fine_." Robin sighed in defeat, knowing he wasn't going to get the information he wanted out of him. He shuffled through a few more papers. "Next question. Age?"

"One hundred and eighty seven."

"Actual age?"

"Twenty two." He shrugged, as if insulted he didn't look his age. "I thought I looked good for a twenty something year-old."

Robin rolled his eyes and scribbled something down on the notepad tucked into the manila folder. Minutes ticked by again before his voice broke the silence with another question. "So, where were you last night?"

"At the Hajime building, pilfering some delicious technology specs." Jason grinned and tapped his fingers on the table. "You know that, Sweet Pea, and I'd be a little miffed if you suddenly forgot. We met there and danced a little… although I do appreciate to be wined and dined a bit before I'm royally fucked."

Robin rolled his eyes and continued writing notes in the notepad, before looking up into his captive's face. "So you admit to stealing Hajime tech?"

Jason shrugged. "Of course."

Robin tapped his pen on the paper, never breaking his stare with Jason's face. "And what were you doing the night before last? Where were you?"

"I was at home." Jason stared back at him, his expression bored-looking. "Drinking a beer and eating cold takeout."

"Mm." Robin wrote a few more notes down. "And can anyone vouch for that?"

"Yes. Of course. I rarely drink alone."

Robin glanced up, raising an eyebrow as if waiting for him to continue. "And?"

"Well… it's sort of complicated, you see."

"Ah. So… I'll mark 'no'. No one can confirm or deny you were at home." He looked back down at his notes. "And Sunday night, where were you then?"

"At dinner with my girlfriend…" He chuckled at Robin's shocked expression and grinned in enjoyment. "Yes, I have a girlfriend. Shocking, for me, I know."

"Probably a harlot of some sort." Robin pursed his lips.

"Hey now, it's not nice to insult people you don't know. I wouldn't insult your girlfriend… " Jason felt the uncontrollable bubble of anger rise into his chest at the thought of him insulting Raven, but he had to fight the urge to punch him. After all, he was handcuffed so punching wasn't even an option, and he didn't want to expose them both just yet. He settled for a cold glare and personal jab. "By the way, have you even _admitted _to Star that you like her yet? I mean, _everyone _knows. You better get on that before someone better takes her off your hands for you."

"I'm not here for my personal life." Robin snarled and raised his eyebrows, tapping the end of his pen on the table. "Your girlfriend, can she vouch for you?"

"Unfortunately, no. I'm trying to keep her out of this mess… if you don't mind, Princess."

Robin sighed and slammed the manila folder shut, letting the silence slide over them like a torture device all its own. Minutes ticked by before he spoke again, stare cold. "You see my dilemma here, X. We have photographic evidence and witness statements that place you at the scene of some very serious crimes including larceny, breaking and entering, destruction of public property… I can go on if you want."

Jason glared. "Not necessary. I can see where you're going with this."

"Unless you have a sound alibi, Red X, I have to assume that you are guilty of all crimes listed here in this folder."

"I'm innocent."

"Are you?"

"Yes."

"Can you produce an alibi?"

Jason felt his blood pressure rise. He _knew _what Robin was doing. He was trying to force him into a confession, or give up the name of someone who knew his darkest secrets. Jason growled, eyes narrowing. He refused to put Raven in that position, and he had no one else who would vouch for his character and his innocence. He was at an impasse, and it looked like he was going to see the inside of a cell for the rest of his life.

"Your silence speaks volumes." Robin pulled out his communicator and pressed a button. "Prepare the prisoner for transport down to the station. I want him out of my hair in an hour-"

"Stop."

Jason felt his stomach drop and he turned around to see Raven standing in the doorway, hood down as she looked over his shoulder at her leader. There was a tremor in her voice, softly waivering against the heavy silence that filled the room.

"Raven…" Jason's voice was just a whisper. What was she doing?

"Don't charge him for the crimes. He's innocent."

"Oh?" Robin looked genuinely shocked at her words, color leaving his face. "And how do you know?"

"Raven… _don't_."

She ignored Jason's desperate plea and moved closer to her leader, placing herself between them. "The reason I know that he's innocent, is because he was with me on those nights."

)O(

_Sorry for the delay… I totally lost power in the middle of writing this and I haven't been able to post until now. I hope it was worth it.  
Anyway, let me know what you think!_


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